Indiscriminate kidnappings, nearly daily beheadings. Gangs that mock and kill government agents. This isn't Iraq or Pakistan. It's Mexico, which the US government and growing number of experts say is becoming one of the world's biggest security risks.

 

The prospect that America's southern neighbor could melt into lawlessness provides an unexpected challenge to Barack Obama's new government. In its latest report anticipating possible global security rises, the US Joint Forces Command mentioned that Mexico and Pakistan together as being at risk of a ''rapid and sudden collapse, the Mexican possibility may seem less likely, but the government, its politicians, police, judicial infrastructure are under sustained assault and pressure by criminal gangs and drug cartels'' the command said in the report published in November 25th.

 

"How that internal conflict turns out over the next several years will have a major impact on the stability of the Mexican state"

 

Retiring CIA chief, Michael Hayden told reporters that Mexico could rank alongside Iran as a challenge for Obama - perhaps a greater problem than Iraq. The US Justice Department said last month that Mexican gangs are the "biggest organized crime threat to the US". National Security Advisor, Stephen Hadley said last week that the worsening violence threatens Mexico's very democracy.

CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Ketegron reported in November that Phoenix Arizona has already become ground zero for an explosion in reported kidnappings and home invasions involving drug trafficking and criminals with connections to Mexican drug cartels. Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff recently told the New York Times he ordered additional border security plans to be drawn up this summer as kidnapping and killing spilled into the US. The alarm is spreading to the private sector as well. Mexico, Latin America's 2nd biggest economy and the US's 3rd biggest oil supplies is one of the top 10 global risks for 2009 identified by the Eurasia Group. - CBS News

US's 3rd biggest oil supplies

Blimey... It's really little wonder that so many Mexicans risk all by illegally crossing the border into US, they want to get the hell out of that hellhole......

 

Mexico's problems are linked to poverty, overpopulation (thanks to the Catholic church's stance on contraception...)and deprivation, also the fact that their Govt is almost totally corrupt as well.... It seems absolutely incredible that such an oil-rich state should have such incredible poverty, but that is typical of the Capitalist system, the oil revenue goes to the few, leaving the many basically to fend for themselves, resources should be of benefit to all Mexico's people, not just the oil companies and those in power.... In neighbourhoods where there is little or no hope of finding legitimate employment, people will tend to turn to the gangs or the cartels who seem to offer a 'quick fix'......

The description really is what's happening in the majority of countries around the world. I guess the whole 'oil factor' is what decides which 'risk/country' is higher up on the US's agenda. Well actually, obviously.

*sigh* mexico mexico

 

i had never even considered the drug aspect of things. it appears as tho the government likes to turn its head away from this problem and furthermore encourage it. bank of america even offered credit cards to them at one point. they act like the mexicans are this HUGE problem and then turn around and do little to nothing about it. there are immigrants who get deported repeatedly and end up right back here.

 

my main concern is the lack of education which turns into lack of opportunity which turns into a life of crime. we have enough of that with our OWN citizens yet we've considered offering illegal immigrants citizenship.

 

did anybody here about the mexican kidnapping negotiator/educator getting kidnapped in broad daylight from a cafe? how ironic.

Has it ever occurred to the US, being so Asianarabian-occupied could be their own biggest security risk ? There really isnt a balance in their help between these deteriorating countries. Mugabe, The Mexican Mafia and Bin Laden could be plotting together for all they know. .

Mugabe, The Mexican Mafia and Bin Laden could be plotting together for all they know. .

 

:lol: :lol:

 

Highly unlikely, all of these groups have very opposing agendas..... This sounds as fanciful a notion as the Bush admin trying to claim Saddam was in cahoots with bin Laden in order to justify invading Iraq, which was proven to be so much horsesh!t seeing as how one was a Wahabiist extremist, the other a Sunni military dictator who had plotted to invade Iran and overthrow the Ayatollah..... ie, about as likely as the IRA and the UVF to join forces.......

 

Has it ever occurred to the US, being so Asianarabian-occupied could be their own biggest security risk ?

 

It's true, we're spread so thin atm. it's ridiculous.

 

Has it ever occurred to the US, being so Asianarabian-occupied could be their own biggest security risk ?

 

This has some legs to it, considering that all the Sept 11 hijackers were naturalised American citizens, none at all from Afghanistan or Iraq, they were all ethnic Saudis.... :rolleyes:

 

It seems absolutely incredible that such an oil-rich state should have such incredible poverty, but that is typical of the Capitalist system, the oil revenue goes to the few, leaving the many basically to fend for themselves, resources should be of benefit to all Mexico's people, not just the oil companies and those in power.... In neighbourhoods where there is little or no hope of finding legitimate employment, people will tend to turn to the gangs or the cartels who seem to offer a 'quick fix'......

 

Unfortunately, that happens to be the case in most Latin American countries, where the resources are available to be exploited but the poor never get benefits from it. That's all due to corruption and while some might think the politicians and leaders are corrupt in every part of the world, here we seem to get the worst and the most avaricious.

Unfortunately, that happens to be the case in most Latin American countries, where the resources are available to be exploited but the poor never get benefits from it. That's all due to corruption and while some might think the politicians and leaders are corrupt in every part of the world, here we seem to get the worst and the most avaricious.

 

Very, very true. Most Latin American countries are very rich in resources, human and natural, but economic development has been hindered by endless political and military corruption. Much of it created or sustained by the US's reprehensible actions across the continent during the Cold War, I must add. The US is directly and indirectly responsible for millions of deaths in Latin America throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s.

 

Also oil wealth rarely results in true, fair, sustainable development. Look at Venezuela for an example of how an economy too closely tied to the price of oil tends to collapse every 15 years or so. This resulting in Chavez, who has proven he's more interested in geopolitical politics than actually tending to the poor in his country.

I bet when this headline was penned they weren't thinking of Swine Flu :mellow: